Silent Darkness
by Elaxandrius
Summary: From the shadows he was summoned to protect her... can she bring him into the light he's craved?
1. A gift of understanding

Silent Protector

December 24, 2005

By: AznAngel6767

**A.N.: I don't own them... don't have to keep reminding me! sobs

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His eyes followed her every move. Watching her as she left the building with her mother; following her as they went shopping from store to store. It's been like this for the last couple of years. Him at the tender age of ten, and her, nine. At the moment she entered this world, he had been summoned to protect her and her alone. Watching, but never touching. Seeing, but never seen. Listening, but never heard.**

He had always known that it was his duty… his destiny, but that didn't lessen the pain in his heart. Darkness was where he dwelled, but it was the light he longed for. Like his father before him, and his father before, this was his calling; this was why he lived: to protect.

"Sakura, watch out!" a female's voice screamed in fright, bringing him out of his thoughts. Snapping his eyes back to where the little girl had wandered off into the busy street, he ran to where she stood, frozen. Grabbing her by the waist, he threw them both onto the freshly cut grass of the park. Air entering his lungs in heavy pants, he looked down, only to find himself staring into sparkling emerald orbs.

Swallowing carefully, he pushed himself off the little girl and stretched out a hand to help her up. She grabbed onto it, pulled herself straight, and kept holding on. At that moment, he felt his heart rate speed up, and it wasn't due to the accident that almost happened. Of that he was positive.

Abruptly, she smiled and wrapped her arms around his midsection, her head coming to rest just below his chin. Nuzzling into his chest, she whispered, "Thank you."

"Sakura! Oh my God, Sakura! Are you okay?"

The voice snapped him out of his reverie, causing him to pull away. Turning his back, he ran back to where he belonged. The shadows.

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"Happy birthday, Sakura." a female said as she hugged the girl.

"Thanks, Tomoyo. There's food over on that table. Go grab some before Kero gets here." Sakura laughed as she watched her walk towards the table she indicated before turn back to greet the other people.

"Happy sweet sixteen, brat." Arms wrapped themselves around her waist from behind.

"You said that already, bro. That's the tenth time." She commented as she turned around to wrap her arms around the person's neck. "Where's mom and dad?"

"Backyard. Entertaining the guests."

She groaned, placing her head on his shoulder. "Let me guess, baby pictures?"

"Nope. Worse. Ballet videos," he laughed.

"Touya! Why didn't you stop them?"

"Couldn't. They had put it on before I got there." Her brother laughed whole-heartedly at her expense. "Besides Sakura, the videos aren't that bad."

"Easy for you to say." Looking up, a figure by the door caught her attention. Turning her eyes back to her brother, she whispered. "Kito just arrived. Go say hi."

A nod was her only answer as he walked towards the door. Yukito, otherwise known to her as Kito, had been her brother's best friend for as long as she could remember.

Taking a deep breath, she walked outside to the front of the house and closed her eyes. Absorbing the silence for a few minutes, she opened her eyes once more to glance around the neighborhood. Turning to walk back to the party, a box on the floor gave her pause. Bending, she took a closer look. Brows furrowing in confusion, she lightly ran her fingers over her name written on the package. Looking up once more, she tried to find the depositor, only to find no one.

Shrugging, she sat down on the sidewalk and began to open the container. A small gasp of wonder escaped her lips as her eyes landed on the simple chain within. A beautiful silver necklace reflected the sun's shine as she took it from the box. What caught her breath, however, was the engraving on the small angel. _'You'll never be alone.'_

The one statement caused tears to well up. Apparently, someone knew… someone understood how she truly felt. Looking back down, she grabbed the card gently.

_For a beautiful princess that outshines any stars in the sky. For an angel whose heart is bigger than all others. I'll always be watching over you, keeping you safe from harm. Happy sixteenth birthday._

_Your silent protector._

A smile graced her lips as she placed the chain around her slim neck. Unknown to her, a smile formed on someone else's lips as well.

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**A.N.: Well, how is it? They're a bit out of character, eh? Ok… ok… a lot. **


	2. Close Call

**A.N.: …must you remind me that I don't own the characters…. sobs

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**Chapter 2: Close Call**

A gunshot rang through the streets, startling him from his thoughts. Snapping his head around, his eyes widened in shock and fear. The girl was missing. Darting his eyes around, he quickly scanned the area for the one he was called to protect.

The smell of blood hit him hard, causing his gag reflex to act up, but the scent that clenched his heart painfully was the faint smell that came with it. Looking at the crowd ahead, he hoped it wasn't true… prayed he hadn't failed.

Slowly, for the first time, he left his comfort of darkness and walked towards the people. As he pushed his way through, ice crept into him and froze him to his very soul. There in front of him, bleeding and unconscious, was the girl he had sworn to protect.

Training allowed his mind to quickly analyze the situation and realize that the bullet had lodged itself into her shoulder and that she was okay… for the time being. Disregarding the people around him, he picked up the young female and ran out of the lights, only to reenter his world of darkness.

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Cursing himself for the umpteenth time, he turned to look at the slumbering figure on the bed. He could still feel the rapid beating of his heart at the thought of losing her due to his carelessness. Taking deep breaths, he turned his head away to stare at the setting sun over the horizon her steady breathing the only thing keeping him sane at the moment. Looking down, he stared at his hand…more specifically, he stared at the blood staining them. 

He had sprinted the few blocks to his apartment, an apartment owned by his family for those who had been called upon. Placing her prone body on the sofa, he had rampaged the entire living quarter in search for the medical supplies. With trembling hands, her shirt was slashed and ripped off in his haste to dress the wound. The bullet wound, luckily, hadn't been as bad as he had originally thought, making a clean cut from its entry to its exit hole. But the bleeding had caused him to worry, for it flowed out of her in a thick, steady stream.

Quick fingers stitched up the holes, all the while his eyes had darted back and forth to her eyes to watch for movements. Hearing her moan, he had paused in his work, breathing ceasing completely in his fear of her waking to feel the needle sinking into her soft skin over and over again. As she settled once more, he began his work once more.

And now, nearly an hour after the whole terrifying incident, she still slept undisturbed, and him… he stood guard, watching over her, holding onto her every breath. _It was too close. Somebody wants her dead. But who?

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**A.N.: Well, here's the chapter. Sorry if it's not exactly up to your expectations. This chapter hadn't peaked my interest as much… I was working on the last three chapters to this story… even though I hadn't thought up the beginning or middle sections. Lol. Until next time!**


	3. Introductions

**A.N.:** **_Well, after a loooooong break, I'm back once more. Sadly, this chapter did not come out as long as I had hoped, but at least it's out, right? Forgive any mistakes, please, for this was posted raw (hot off the press! lol...). I've given up re-reading everything I write. It just prevents me from posting anything. Besides, it's the first things that you write that are usually the best works. I'm giving this a shot. Hope you enjoy!_

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**Chapter 3: Introductions**

"Ugh…" Emerald eyes fluttered gently open as the warmth of sunlight fell on her face. Blurry objects overpowered her vision as she blinked away Morpheus's hold on her mind. As things began to clear, she turned her head slightly towards the right to where a window sat with the glass pushed out to let the spring breeze in. Moving to sit up, she could hold back neither the gasp nor the whimper of pain.

"You shouldn't move. Your wound hasn't healed yet nor has it closed completely. You keep moving and you'll pull the stitches out."

Her head flew up as soon as she heard the words. Her eyes widened and her mind tried to remember why the person seemed so very familiar to her. She blinked with every step he took closer to the bed she laid upon.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been shot."

He chuckled and she decided that she loved the sound. It felt like a smooth caress or of sweet, sinful chocolate melting on her tongue. And his eyes seemed to sparkle a bit when he laughed.

"Yeah, well, the feeling's normal considering you did get shot. For a while there, I thought you wouldn't wake up."

"How… how long have I been out?" Her throat felt desperately parched and as a cool glass of water was placed in her line of sight, she smiled her thanks.

"About three days now. You lost too much blood before I could stitch up the bullet hole. Fortunately for you though, it went through cleanly so I didn't have to pry it out. That would've hurt a lot more."

Emerald met brown and held. Suddenly her eyes widened in surprise as a flicker of recognition sparked. She did know him… have known him. There was never a time in her life where she did not know him. He had always been there.

"I know you…" His eyes narrowed. "I've always known you. You were always saving me when I was younger. And you still are. You're the one who saved me from the car in the past, aren't you?"

"Yes." Short and to the point.

"And the one who saved me from drowning when I was pushed into the lake."

A nod.

"And the one who caught me that time I fell from the tree at night."

Another nod.

"The one who left the necklace for me when I turned sixteen? As well as the Celtic cross bracelet sent to my dorm when I turned eighteen?"

Silence.

Lips curved into a gentle smile as eyes softened and warmed. Though no answers came forth for those last inquiries, she knew the truth. "Thank you."

His posture stiffened and his jaw tensed. Curiosity flitted through her, but as quickly as it rose, if fell.

"My name's Sakura Kinomoto. What's yours?"

A brief hesitation flickered in his hazel orbs at the question. A hesitation she did not understand.

"Syaoran."

The fact that no last names was given did not escape her observation.

"Pleased to meet you, Syaoran."

"I'll have your lunch brought up. You need to eat."

As he was walking out, she called out to him.

"Wait!" He paused, but did not turn. "Why? Why are you always saving me?"

His head turned to face her over one shoulder.

"Because it is what I was born to do."


End file.
